Directed by:
Rupert WyattCinematography:
Andrew LesnieComposer:
Patrick DoyleCast:
James Franco, Andy Serkis, Brian Cox, John Lithgow, Freida Pinto, Tom Felton, Tyler Labine, Sonja Bennett, Chelah Horsdal, David Oyelowo, David Hewlett (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
An origin story set in present day San Francisco, where man's own experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (17)
Veni, Vidi, Vici. Now two Caesars can say this. A prequel thirty years later where the senselessly grafted on (and absolutely unnecessary) action finale in “what didn’t fit into Jackson’s King Kong" style which unfortunately reduces the emotional ride mediated by soulful ape gazes to a regular, although very well-made, popcorn movie. But it also has a “heart", which is pretty rare for blockbusters in recent years.
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Generally, I tend to avoid American blockbusters knowing that they target a different age category of audience and usually work with genres that I couldn't care less about. If they ever catch my attention, they are mostly light comedy affairs. Serious-minded blockbusters usually reek of pathos and ostentatious arrogance. The novel "Planet of the Apes" operated on a simple principle and set a simple goal: to warn about a nuclear war that would bring humanity to ruin and have the void occupied by an animal species. The original film from the 60s was impressive and effective - mainly because it faithfully stuck to the source material. At the time, it was actually a blockbuster too, but its choice of topic, simplicity, precision, and broad communication made it exceptionally strong. Its younger sibling sells something else and uses different tools. It can be argued that the original Planet of the Apes influenced a generation of viewers, sparked a social discussion, and changed the view on the Cold War. Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a predictable morality tale about the arrogance of humans in contrast to the nobility of the silent face. Many scenes are played solely for the effect, the characters are black and white, and the film is clichéd and literal, blatantly playing on emotions. From the first minutes, I didn't find it likable, but I would give it two stars for its craftsmanship without hesitation. However, that wouldn't take into account the last action-packed third, where there is a revolution and heroic clever monkeys demolish a helicopter in flight or a moving car with an armed crew. It got dark in front of my eyes and my mood dropped at the speed of a skydiver lacking a parachute. The film has enough enthusiastic admirers, so I don't need to exert myself and will limit myself to an overall impression of 10% for the technical execution.
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A film at the right time. Instead of Godzilla-style destructive action, Rise of the Planet of the Apes offers up a game of who is the master and who rules whose territory and relativising a number of genre rules. The apes overshadow all of the live actors, who don’t even aspire to become heroes through their actions. Rodman’s liberalism isn’t far from the attitude of “do what you want; I can’t do anything anyway”. The character who undergoes complicated internal development, who literally evolves (as shown in the breathtaking scene with a tree), is Caesar, who is predestined by his name and intelligence to do great things. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen anyone act so convincingly with their eyes. In the scenes when it raises questions, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is more impressive than when it attempts to answer them. While the secondary romantic storyline had already aged in its presentation and impact on the plot when the film was released in cinemas, man’s manipulation of nature as it is presented here will remain topical, if there is any nature left in twenty years. That’s not to mention a number of other possible interpretations that arise after looking over the current news of the world (why should the “right” to a more fulfilling life belong only to selected individuals). With its briskly presented attractions for both the eye and the mind (or for both at once, in the best case), Rise can be enjoyed as a summer blockbuster without guilt, regardless of the numerous meanings that it contains. For example, in evoking the impression of movement, Wyatt achieves the intensity of The Bourne Ultimatum in the scenes of Caesar’s continuously filmed actions. The British invasion of Hollywood is thus progressing as successfully as our “advanced” civilisation’s journey to self-destruction. 85%
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Resonant. Revolting. It's hard to guess where Rupert Wyatt is coming from, but we can only be glad that he got to possibly the most surprising hit of recent years. Nobody wanted to see the rise of this ape, the derision over such an unnecessary remake was endless... and suddenly hardly anyone has anything to say about it. James Franco surprises with his acting versatility, Tom Felton confirms his ability to play the villain, and Caesar, accompanied by Patrick Doyle's amazing music, conquers not only the highest branches of the trees but also the hearts of the audience. Despite a few surprising (but not disturbing) logical stumbling blocks, I have to admit that after he pushed ahead in this campaign at all costs, he left almost everyone eagerly supporting these enraged primates yet again.
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Leaving aside Green Hornet, which came out in winter, this is the first blockbuster of the year that managed to not only meet my expectations, but to surpass them, too. If you really wanted to dig into it, you’ll find loads of inconsistencies in logic, but this film is so entertaining, genuine and emotional that I will not get into that. The old classic can be glad to have such a good young sibling, It has nothing to be ashamed of. I loved the references and I would love to take little Caesar home :)
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